Metsimaholo’s status as best in Free State under ‘serious threat’ – DA

SASOLBURG. – According to the 2018 Municipal Financial Stability Index published by Ratings Afrika, Metsimaholo Local Municipality was ranked as the best in the Free State. The Free State, however, was ranked worst province in the country.
“As the ‘best’ municipality in the Free State, Metsimaholo’s status is under serious threat as there are concerted efforts to weaken the municipality and
ultimately place it under administration,” says Thabiso Mofokeng, DA Caucus Leader in Metsimaholo.
“Since the South African Communist Party (SACP), backed by the ANC, took over after the dissolution of Council in 2017, service delivery has taken a serious knock.
“The reason is quite simply undue political interference, led by the Speaker. “The Council resolved in March of 2018 to suspend the Municipal Manager (MM), Steven Molala. To this day he still draws a salary without lifting as much as a finger.
“Several Senior Managers positions also became vacant during the same time as the suspension, rendering administration nearly ineffective. The vacant posts have been advertised several times but no appointments have been made to date,” says Mofokeng.
This prompted the Speaker to ask the MEC of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) to intervene via a Secondment of an individual to act as the MM that is not from within Metsimaholo. The DA strongly opposed this, as it amounted to the appointment of a provincial “administrator”.
The Ordinary Council Meeting in Oranjeville collapsed on August 21 as the DA – with other parties – left the meeting in protest as the council moved to
approve the Secondment. The continuation meeting was held in Oranjeville on September 20. The issue of Secondment was no longer on the agenda,
but in a peculiar turn of events, the meeting collapsed again as the ANC left the meeting without as much as an explanation.
“Although the EFF left, their presence was unexpected. Since the entire EFF caucus was assaulted by bouncers in March in the council chambers, they have effectively boycotted attending meetings,” says Mofokeng.
“Meanwhile, the DA will continue to work tirelessly and engage the Speaker until he complies with legislation and not party resolutions that seek to mislead members of council and the public,” says Mofokeng.